Malicious Code Injection in stormy_unicorn-apptea Package
Summary
MAL-2025-109156: Malicious code in stormy_unicorn-apptea (npm). Affected versions are not published. No fix is published. How to fix ↓
Check if this vulnerability affects your application
Upload a manifest or SBOM and we'll show whether you're affected, plus every other risky package in the same scan.
No signup required · Results in about 60 seconds
Background
The stormy_unicorn-apptea package is part of the tea.xyz token reward campaign, which has been known to flood the npm registry with malicious packages. These packages are designed to manipulate developer reputation scores by automatically generating and publishing derivative packages with randomized names. The malicious nature of this package lies in its ability to alter critical files and republish variants that can pollute the npm ecosystem.
Vulnerability Detail
The vulnerability in the stormy_unicorn-apptea package originates from its design to include autopublish scripts that modify the package.json file. This modification removes private flags, changes version numbers, and generates random package names, leading to potential security risks such as unauthorized access and pollution of the npm registry. The continuous republishing of these variants can significantly impact the integrity of the npm ecosystem and compromise the security of applications relying on these packages.
How To Fix
This package is malicious. Remove it and rotate any credentials it could have accessed.
npm uninstall stormy_unicorn-appteaIf it arrived as a transitive dependency, remove the package that pulled it in, then reinstall.
Tip — Not sure whether your app is affected? Vulert can check the versions your app actually runs. Scan free →
Workaround
As a temporary measure, you can avoid using the stormy_unicorn-apptea package and look for alternative packages that provide similar functionality without the associated risks. Additionally, consider using tools like Vulert to monitor your project for vulnerabilities. You can check if your application is affected by this vulnerability using the Vulert playground at https://vulert.com/scanner without any signup.
Conclusion
The stormy_unicorn-apptea package poses significant risks due to its malicious code designed to manipulate npm registry integrity. It is crucial for developers to be aware of such vulnerabilities and take immediate action to secure their applications by removing the affected package and monitoring for any future vulnerabilities.
See every vulnerability recorded for stormy_unicorn-apptea →
FAQ
It is a malicious npm package that is part of a campaign to inflate developer reputation scores through the automatic generation and publication of derivative packages.
The vulnerability can lead to unauthorized modifications of your package.json file, potentially compromising your application's security and integrity.
You should uninstall the stormy_unicorn-apptea package immediately and check for any dependencies that may be affected.
Yes, you can use Vulert, which monitors and alerts for open-source vulnerabilities in real-time using just your package-lock.json file.
You can use the Vulert playground at Vulert Scanner to check for vulnerabilities in your application without needing to sign up.
